


Bury a Friend

by redFreckles



Category: Young Avengers (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Gaslighting, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Multiple Selves, Multiple Universes Colliding, War, dimensional shenanigans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-02-28 16:49:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18760465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redFreckles/pseuds/redFreckles
Summary: “Billy, tell me you did that.” Kate says blankly as they look at the collapsed form.“Uh.” Billy says in response. “Sure, yeah, that was totally me.”Or in which a Billy from another universe tries to kidnap Billy, Teddy just wants to do the right thing, and Tommy has never wanted to punch his brother's face more.





	1. What do you want from me

**Author's Note:**

> is this fandom still alive? am I too late to contribute??

Blinding blue light flashes throughout the living room, which wouldn’t be a cause for concern if it wasn't for the fact that Billy hadn't cast a spell.

Billy covers his eyes while Teddy pulls him close, Tommy’s curses heard over the roar of the magic. It disperses quickly leaving a glowing man in the middle who trembles before falling to the ground, the magic flickering away like second hand smoke.

“Billy, tell me you did that.” Kate says blankly as they look at the collapsed form.

“Uh.” Billy says in response. “Sure, yeah, that was totally me.”

“Shit.” She says, and before she can say anything else Tommy is around at the side of the man, poking him in the side absently. “For fucks sake, Tommy.” Kate curses, walking to him and slapping his hand away. Tommy hisses at her in response.

Billy pats Teddy’s arm to get him to let him go, and his boyfriend reluctantly unwraps himself from Billy. The unconscious man has long dark hair obscuring his face, his clothing tight and black around his lithe form.

“Who is he?” Billy says curiously, stepping closer.

Tommy hums. “Well let’s see.” And rolls the man over. Billy gasps and Teddy resumes his hold of his boyfriend even tighter then before while Tommy makes a noise of disbelief.

“Another one? Seriously? How many more people have my face, huh? Is this another long-lost-spiritually-induced-sibling?” Tommy complains.

“I don’t think so.” Kate says grimly, just as the man’s eyes shoot open. He sits up quickly, his eyes glittering the same familiar blue that Billy’s do, pushing Tommy’s hands off him with a scowl.

“Keep your hands to yourself, Thomas.” The man says, before floating up and back on his feet.

“Who the hell are you?!” Tommy growls out, going to grab the man only to be stopped with a flick of the man’s hand, pushing Tommy back five feet away.

“I don’t have time for your stupidity.” He says coldly. “Nor do I have time to explain. William.” He says turning to Billy. “You will come with me, now.”

  
“Wow, he’s not going anywhere with you.” Teddy says, his skin turning green as he steps in front of Billy.

“That wasn’t a request.”

“You’ll have to get through us then.” Tommy growls out, positioning himself next to Teddy.

“Wait!” Kate shouts. “Everyone calm down. Stand down Speed, Hulking, that’s an order.” Kate warns stepping between them and the man. “William,” She addresses the man, making everyone else freeze. “You’re William, right? Billy from a different dimension.”

The man looks at her critically, then smirks. “Well,” William says, “It’s good to see you’re not all morons.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Billy says, “If you’re me then why do you need another me?”

William looks at Billy with such disdain that Billy flinches, while Teddy looks conflicted between them. “Because I’m not you, not quite. You are a younger, weaker, and naive version of myself, one that hasn’t lost something I need.” Then, with just a snap of his fingers, William teleports next to Billy.

  
William grabs Billy’s arm. “Don’t worry, I’ll return you once I’ve completed what I need to do-” And Tommy already has Billy on the other side of the room.

“Alternate Billy or not, there’s no way we’re letting you take him.” Tommy says, just as Teddy goes to grab William.

William huffs in annoyance and snaps his fingers once more, sending Teddy across the room and smashing head first into a wall. He waves his hand and Tommy disappears out of site. Kate has her bow in hand but all William has to do is twitch his finger to make it into a pair of cuffs around her wrists.

William scoffs. “Children.”

“Why are you doing this?!” Billy shouts. “I want him to go away, I want him to-” Billy starts chanting, interrupted by the sound being sucked out of his throat until no more words can be formed. Billy panics as William’s closed fist emits the power that took his voice.

“You can’t win against me, Billy. I’m more experienced and powerful than you, in ways you could never-” William wavers, falling to his knees as his magic fades. “Shit, not now dammit.”

Billy coughs as his voice flows back to him and Tommy reappears. Teddy gets off the floor with a groan and the cuffs around Kate’s hands change back into a bow.

“I think,” Kate says, leaning over William’s collapsed form, “It’s time for us to talk.”

\----

William grapples with his consciousness, knowing he’s not awake and unable to do anything about it.

His dreamscape is a hell of white sterile walls and metal tables. _The sounds of her screaming can be heard from where William is strapped down, powerless, deaf to his voice yet not the outside world._ He knew they put him in earshot on purpose, knew they wanted him to hear his mother’s cries as they killed her. _He can feel his magic inside, can feel it overflowing under his skin, and knows he can’t do anything with it, because this isn’t real._

He’s not in that place anymore, his mother has been dead for months, and he’s currently unconscious in an alternate universe where he just tried to kidnap himself.

_The facts don’t keep him from yelling for them to stop however, or crying when he can’t hear his mother’s voice anymore, nor do they keep him from feeling utter terror when the monster behind him laughs and laughs, his hands a mocking parody of comfort as they rub his shoulders, his breath sickeningly touching William’s cheek, his mouth too close as he whispers in William’s ear._

_“She held out until the end, Stardust.” He says. “Will you be able to say the same?”_

William shoots up from where he was lying down on cold metal, his heart racing and his magic sizzling at his fingertips.

He allows himself a single moment to close his eyes and collect himself before focusing on his surroundings. He’s in something akin to a metal box with no door and enough wards built in the walls to stage off a nuclear bomb. A prison. William pushes down the fear it brings and instead thinks only of escape, deconstructing and building wards and spells as fast as his mind will allow until he’s outside, in a hallway leading in many directions. William thinks for a moment before casting himself invisible, a location spell in taking over his feet as he walks.

It takes him to a room full of shouting, his copycat and their team gathered around a table.

“-He’s like anti-Billy! Billy if Billy were an evil prick!” Thomas yells, and William carefully pushes back the emotion those words bring, along with every other emotion he has.

“But he is a Billy. Maybe we should hear him out.” Dorrek VIII says, and isn’t that hilarious, having the prince stand up for him. William pushes those feelings back as well, even though his bitterness leaves a bad aftertaste in his mouth.

“You’re biased, you don’t get a count.” Thomas says dismissively and Dorrek VIII clenches his fists. “And you do?!”

“Boys, please,” Hawkeye strains, her hands at her temples, and in another situation William would feel sympathy for her. “This isn’t getting anywhere.”  
“Well,” Billy says, nervously, anxiously. William can’t help the hatred he feels for the boy, for his obvious weakness, for his childish fears. “I-I think we should send him back as soon as possible.”

“Billy, he’s you.” Dorrek VIII says.

“But he’s not!” Billy shouts, “He’s nothing like me! He’s cold and unfeeling and he didn’t even hesitate to hurt you! I don’t care who he is in another timeline, I never want to be anything like him.” The magic flows into the air, and Gods the boy doesn’t even realize the power he’s just used. William sighs and snaps the magic out of existence.

“Well,” William says, reappearing and ignoring the sounds of shock, “I’m sure you never will, Billy Kaplan.”

“How did you-”

  
“Please keep the stupid questions to yourself.” William says, before dropping into a nearby chair, exhausted. “I did not cross the space time continuum to lecture children to explain what ‘reality warper’ means.” William groans, rubbing his temples. “Gods and Goddesses above, give me relief.”

William ignores the thick tension in the room, too tired and too old for this.

“Uh,” Thomas says, “I’m pretty sure were the same age, dude.”

“Only in years.” William says with his hands over his eyes, blocking out the light to ease his headache.

“What the fuck is happening right now?” Thomas whispers poorly to Hawkeye.

“Look,” William says sharply, opening his eyes and scanning the people around him. “I’ve been through fifty-two hundred separate realities searching for a version of myself with the missing piece, six long terrible months shifting through every Goddess damned universe talking, fighting and sometimes killing alternative versions of myself in search of you.” William points to Billy. “You, Billy Kaplan, you are the only version of us in over five thousand timelines that still has something all the rest of us lost, and I need you-” William takes a breath, “I need you, if I’m ever going to save my family.”

There’s a moment of stilled silence in the room.

“Okay,” Billy drawls out, “That was a lot, and I have so many questions-”

“What do you mean killed?” Dorrek VIII asks, and Gods, never did William think the prince of space would look uncomfortable with the concept of murder.

“Why do you keep saying Gods and Goddesses? Are you not still Jewish?” Thomas says, and just like that the room is floated with sound again and William thinks maybe he should have skipped this dimension after all.

“Enough!” Hawkeye says, and room quiets. “There are more important things to discuss.” She turns to William. “Like what exactly you’re missing that Billy has.”

William smiles blandly, knowing no light is reaching his eyes as he says, “Hope.”

“This is a joke right, he’s fucking with us.” Thomas says.

“I’m not.” William says, “Our power is strongly linked with emotion, so strongly in fact that our magic can be, say disrupted, by our emotional state. I’m sure you’re aware of this, but what you aren’t aware of is how much you’re unconscious belief and fear is fueling every spell.” William flickers an energy ball in his hand. “When everything in us is leveled, calm stable? Our magic is stable. But it’s a fickle thing. Anger?” The ball twists. “Sadness?” The ball distorts. “Happiness?” The ball vibrates. “It changes the property of the magic. But when you add disbelief, even the tiniest sliver of doubt?” The ball fizzles like static before dissipating. “Belief is the very foundation of magic. Without it, it falls apart.”

“How is it possible for you to do magic then, if you have no faith?” Hawkeye asks.

“Because I have skill and practice.” William says, “Enough to make it stick temporarily.”

“That’s why your spells reversed yesterday,” Billy says, “Your magic, what, faded?”

“More or less.”

“Say that we believe you on the magic,” Dorrek VIII says, “But there’s no way out of five thousand that Billy is the only one that still believes in something.”

William gives Dorrek VIII a look, an open one, an honest one, one he rarely if ever shares with anyone, and it’s enough for Dorrek VIII to recoil and pale, staring at him in horror. William blanks his face out, and says quietly, “You know nothing of the other universes. You know nothing of the pain and war and trials your dimension has avoided. Feel grateful you found yourself here, Dorrek VIII, here surrounded by friends and not enemies, here where you are not expected to demolish planets and worlds and take the spoils for yourself.” William watches as Dorrek VIII wilts further. “The you I know has the blood of many on his hands, has slaughtered galaxies without hesitation, and yet here you are with the privilege of judging my actions. Here you are with the privilege of feeling pity for me as if another version of you didn’t try to have me killed.”

“I wouldn’t- BIlly-William, I would never.” Dorrek VIII pleads, shaking.

“But you would, if the events lined up right, if the circumstances changed-”

“Stop, just, Christ just stop!” Billy says, holding Dorrek VIII close as he trembles and- are those tears? “I don’t know who hurt you in another universe but Teddy didn’t do anything to you so just shut up already!”

William pauses, surprised by the amount of emotion he let out, pushing it out back quickly, compartmentalizing it and holding it down. “Apologies.” William says. “My- I lost myself, for a moment there.”

Kate steals herself, and looks at him, determined. ”How would Billy help save your family?”

William composes himself. “A powerful man who goes by the name Celestro appeared in my dimension five years ago. No one knows where he came from, only that the night he appeared he took over an entire galaxy. In one night. He’s been taking over planets left and right ever since. Earth starting recruiting other galaxies and planets in a form of resistance against him. My home planet, Genosha, opting out of doing so. This is, of course, right before Celestro invaded.”

_“Prince William! Get underground now!” A guard screamed, right before the rain of fire hit. The bodies stretched beyond the eye could see, piles of corpses and blood and the sounds of chaos and screaming and he can’t do anything, he should be able to do something, why was he this powerless-_

William shakes the memories away. “They killed all of them. Besides my family, the royal family. He had heard rumors of my mother’s powers, of mine, and decided to take them for himself. I managed to get away before he could.” William swallows down the pain. “I hopped dimensions, kept doing so until now.” William looks at them all ignoring the pity and sympathy on their faces. “But he still has my mother and Thomas. He won’t kill them, not until he gets his hands on me again. He knows the only way to control me is through them.” Which isn’t true, not entirely, but they won’t know that until his plan is done.

“Will you help me save them?” William asks Billy, and the determined look in the boy’s eyes is answer enough.


	2. Why Don't You Run From Me

“I don’t trust him.” Tommy says the moment he pulls Kate out of the room. “Yeah, no shit.” Kate says. “That’s why Teddy’s going with him.”

Tommy rolls his eyes, “Yeah, but that was a given. This doesn’t feel right Katie.”

Kate purses her lips. “I know. But I can’t ignore that look of pain on his face, Tommy, the look William had when he was talking about his planet? That was genuine.”

“Doesn’t mean I want to send my brother into a world where Teddy wants him dead.”

“Hey.” Kate says, hand on his arm, “Billy’s made his decision. We have to respect that, and trust that he’ll come home to us.”

Tommy pulls her close. “Yeah well, doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

\----

“I’m going with you.” Teddy says the moment Tommy drags Kate out. 

“Absolutely not.” William says.

“If you want me, he has to come too.” Billy says, standing firm.

“Gods and Goddesses, why have you forsaken me?” William mumbles to the ceiling. “If he’s coming I’ll need to borrow some of your magic. I can barely teleport myself as it is.”

“Done.” Billy grins and Teddy holds him, feeling triumph over the unease and guilt. William’s words will not get out of his head, and the least he can do is make sure Billy won’t be hurt the way his alternative obviously has. Teddy can tell when William pushes away his feelings, has seen Billy do it a handful of times with the same expression, knows he must be hiding an awful amount of pain underneath it. He never wants to that face again, the one William made at him to prove his story, the one absolutely devastated, broken and exhausted, as though he ready to take a knife to the heart. He hopes he might be able to help William as well. He might not be Billy, but he still wears his lover’s face and Teddy can’t stand to see it in pain.

\----

“You better bring them whole, both of them.” Tommy threatens and William crosses his heart with a roll of his eyes. “They will both be returned unharmed, now may we go? We’ve wasted enough time as it is.”

Kate hugs Billy and Teddy. “Don’t be afraid to come back if it gets too hot okay? You don’t owe him anything.”

Teddy squeezes her hand. “Don’t worry, I’ll pull Billy out of it.”

“Hey!” Billy says, “I’m not the only one who makes trouble around here!”

“Remember when you stormed a mad man’s castle without backup?”

“ _ It was one time _ .”

“Billy, portal, now.” William says.

“We’ll be back soon, I hope.” Billy says with a weak grin. “Make sure my parents aren’t worrying too much okay?”

“Got it all handled bro. Go save another world.” Tommy says with a salute.

“It’s not like my family’s lives are in danger or anything.” William continues.

“Coming, coming, jeez.”

“Finally. Now take my hand, and repeat my words, my  _ exact words _ .” William says, taking Teddy’s in the other. “Do you understand?”

“Exact words, got it.”

“Do you? If you don’t we could be spliced across multiple dimensions, across different timelines-”

“Oh my god, am I always this much of an asshole?” Billy interrupts.

“I’m being serious.” William growls out.

“Okay, okay, I swear I will repeat the same words.”

“ _ I want to go to universe 451, planet 3694, date 021434, time 0800 _ .” William says, and Billy takes a deep breath.

“ _ I want to go to universe 451, planet 3694, date 021434, time 0800 _ .”

Reality twists around them warping into something other, something wrong, before settling out like clothes on an iron board.

“Holy shit.” Billy whispers as he looks around.

“This is.” Teddy trails off.

The buildings around them are decrepit and decayed. Vehicles surround them on the streets but none of them are moving, most rusted or broken, all empty. A city without a soul for miles, hundreds of miles, thousands. Billy had this dream once, where no one in all of New York could be found. The difference was, the corpses couldn’t be found either.

Here, on almost every square inch of land, lays a dead body. The smell of rot permeates the air, polluting it and making it hard to breathe. Billy chokes on his tears at the site of a small girl, barely ten, dead a foot away from him, her face in a permanent scream, her chest cavity wide open.

“Welcome boys,” William says, tiredly, “To Genosha.”

\----

“Why here?” Teddy asks brokenly.

“Because it’s exactly where Celestro would look first.” William says, eyes adverting from the many corpses. “I timed this so we’d arrive a day after my escape, and this will be the first place he looks. If my calculations are correct we have five hours until he arrives.”

“Christ.” Billy says, shaking, “Christ, William this is-this is-”

“Get it together.” William snaps. “This is war, people die, we fail. If you let it get to you there won’t be anything left.”

“And how much is there left of you?” Teddy asks, and William glares at him coldly.   
“Do not pretend you know me Dorrek VIII.” He hisses out. “Now let’s get to higher ground.” He points to a nearby tall building. “Can you get us up there?”

Teddy stares at him before shaking his head. “Yeah, yeah I can get us up there.”

\----

Billy fares better away from all the bodies but he’s still badly shaken. Teddy let’s him clench his hand tightly as William goes through his plan detachedly.

“Once he gets here we’ll teleport into his shuttle. I know where they are being kept, but to open their chambers, I’ll need to borrow your magic once more. Their prisons are designed specifically so I wouldn’t be able to open them, but with your power that shouldn’t be a problem. Once we grab them Celestro will have noticed and he will come for us. Our best chance is to teleport to earth and ask for sanctuary in exchange for helping with the rebellion. Before we do so we’ll need to blow up the ship to slow Celestro down enough to make it. I’ll walk you through the incantations for the next hour to make sure you have it down. Dorrek VIII can-”   
  
“Teddy, please, just Teddy.”

“ _ Teddy _ can watch our backs during the spellcasting. Any questions?”

“What if I can’t do it?” Billy whispers.

“Then we all die extremely painful deaths as Celestro drains us of our magic and dissects Teddy.”

“Oh.” Billy pales, and Teddy takes his face into his hands. “Hey, look at me. You can do this Billy, no one’s dying today.”   


“You don’t-”

“Repeat after me Billy,” Teddy says firmly, “You can do this.”

Billy smiles weakly, “I can do this.” He says, just as the sky is breached and a giant spaceship comes into view.

“For Gods’ and Goddesses’ sakes,” William curses, looking to sky with rage coating his face, more expression than he’s displayed since Teddy met him. 

“Is that Celestro?” Billy asks.

“Worse.” William growls, hands lighting blue. “It’s the Skrull.”

“Is-is it me?” Teddy asks hesitantly. 

“No,” William says, “It’s Dorrek VIII.”


	3. What are You Wondering

Teddy turns into Hulkling as William and Billy fall into a fighting stance. The ship hovers above them, high enough not to be caught in it’s pressure field but low enough for them to see the belly of the ship open.

“I’m guessing this wasn’t planned?” Teddy says.

“ _ I’m going to kill him _ .” William says, which is answer enough.

A figure flies out of the ship, wings soaring, making its way to them at fast speeds.

“Shit-” Teddy says, just as a large green man flies into William, pushing him off the roof and onto a nearby one. Teddy picks up Billy and flies them over to the next roof, where William is fighting with the man, with Teddy, or at least another version of Teddy, and hell if this isn’t all giving him a headache.

“Hey! Get off of him-” Teddy says, just as Billy holds a hand out to stop him. 

“Look closer.” Billy says when he shoots him a bewildered look, and he turns to the fighting men once more.

“You moronic, inconceivable little shit-” Dorrek growls out shoving William harding into the rooftop.

“Get off me, you fat bastard, I can’t believe-” William hisses, punching Dorrek in the spleen.

“-You just run off like that, you dick, you absolute asshole, after I go to the trouble of saving you-”

“Like I ever asked for your help!” William snarls. 

“You insane motherfucker, you incomprehensibly stupid dipshit, I should have killed you on Titan!”

“Like you could.” William sneers, before pulling Dorrek down by his collar and kissing him.

“What-” Teddy says.

“This is so fucked up.” Billy agrees, making a disgusted noise as their alternative selves make out.

“I hate you so much.” Dorrek growls, and WIlliam bares his teeth in response.

\----

“You left to bring alternative versions of us from another universe?! What the hell, Will?!” Dorrek yells out.

“Fuck you, like you had any better ideas.” William says.

“I do though! I have five thousand ideas better than this one! You should know better then anyone what this kind of magic will do!” Dorrek raises his arms in fury. Billy sits next to Teddy as their alternative selves fight, verbally this time, and is secretly glad they stopped making out.

“He took my family!” William screams, blue energy erupting from his palms. 

“This won’t bring them back!” Dorrek screams back, and Teddy stiffens behind him.

“Wait, what do you mean by that?” Teddy asks, standing up.

Dorrek looks at them in confusion before it dawns on him and he laughs cruelly. 

“Not another word Dorrek.” William warns.

“Why? Afraid I’ll ruin whatever lie you sold them? What do they think they’re here for, Will?” Dorrek taunts.

“William, what is he talking about?” Billy says, frowning.

William bites his lip then looks away.

“What did you lie about?” Billy asks as anger festers inside.

“My mother is already dead.” William spits out. “Celestro killed her the second he took us on his ship.”

“And Tommy?” Teddy grits out.

“I transported him to Earth the second the invasion started.” William admits. “He’s safe.”

“ _ Then why are we here _ ?” Billy demands.

Dorrek laughs again. “Isn’t it obvious, little sorcerer? You’re here to kill Celestro.”

\----

“This isn’t what we signed up for.” Teddy growls out. “We don’t kill people.”

“Why do you think I lied in the first place?” William says, rolling his eyes, “I knew you wouldn’t have come otherwise.”

“And how, exactly, were you planning on getting us to help you kill him?” Billy asks.

William looked at him and gave him a blank smile. “When we got to the prisons in Celestro’s ship, you wouldn’t be able to open them, because they were made against our magic. I’d use your insecurities to convince I could do if you lent me your power. Once you gave it to me I’d destroy Celestro. And anyone else in my way.”

“A suicide mission.” Dorrek hisses out. “He brought you to your knees once, poisoned your magic, and you think what? A rematch will end differently?”

“I was weak then.” William snarls, “I had used up all my energy reserves and was emotional. I was caught off guard. This time will be different.”

“Poisoned?” Billy says.

“Oh he didn’t tell you that either? His magic is  _ polluted _ .” Dorrek says with a nasty grin.

“What.” Billy says.

William runs his hands through his hair and scowls, “Gods, you never learned to  _ shut up _ .” The words are powered but they fade quickly as William stumbles and falls.

Dorrek curses and grabs him before he hits the ground. “Like I said. Poisoned magic. Celestro did something to it, can’t tell what, who knows with how long he had him.”

“Alright, you know what? I want the whole story, no bullshit right now.” Teddy says, hands clenching.

Dorrek lifts William up into his arms. “We’ll do so on my ship. It would be a slaughter to stay out in the open like this.” Dorrek looks down at William, “You fucking idiot.” 

\----

Dorrek leads them though his ship after he gave commands to leave the planet. In his room he lays down William on the large mattress with more gentleness he’s shown since they met him. He sits down with a sigh looking at them both quizzically before shaking his head.

“God damn it, Will.” He mutters. 

“William told us you wanted him dead.” Billy blurts out, and Teddy snorts.

Dorrek raises an eyebrow at Billy. “Well. You certainly aren’t like Will, are you.”

Billy scowls. “Definitely not.”

Dorrek snorts. “Sure. Well.” Dorrek sighs. “Will wasn’t lying about that part.”

“Anytime you want to tell us what’s going on would be swell.” Teddy says sarcastically.

“I don’t know exactly what Will told you, but he’s never been very good at honesty.” Dorrek rubs his head. “Celestro invaded Genosha a year ago. Prince Thomas Maximoff contacted me, told me Celestro was keeping Will alive on his ship. I tracked them down, spent months planning a rescue operation, saved William and lost a lot of men and women in the crossfire. William had been tortured and experimented during that year, and somewhere along his magic became- painful. Physically more exerting then it ever had been. He’d scream in pain to levitate an object an inch off the ground, that kind of exertion. When I heard he’d teleported I thought he must have killed himself with it. A day later his energy readings pop up in his home world, and here we are.”

Billy and Teddy digest this, Billy slightly embarrassed for believing the ‘magic in hope’ bullshit.

“I assume he went looking for someone with compatible magic, and also someone who’d be willing to give it up.”

“And I just happened to be gullible enough for his plan to work.” Billy whispers, anger and disgust aimed at himself.

“Billy, you couldn’t have known.” Teddy says gently.

“I should have.” Billy snaps, pushing Teddy’s arm off.

“Oh yeah,” Dorrek smirks. “No resemblance at all.”


	4. What Do You Know

_ “There we go Stardust.” The voice coos in his ears as he screams, “Look at how beautiful you are, yes, just like that-” _

Just a dream, William chants. This is just a dream, he can’t hurt anymore he can’t-

_ There’s a knife in his abdomen, covered in the blood from the other cuts it’s made, covering his chest and sides in dark red. Celestro injected a new cocktail into his arm, the drugs making him so much more aware of the pain, heightening and heightening it and- _

Just a dream, it’s just a dream-

_ He’s on top of him and touching him and he feels sick, this is sick, he just wants it to stop- _

Dream just a dream just a dream-

_ He’s inside and it hurts and he’s laughing and it hurts, and he’s moving and it fucking hurts- _

Dreamdreamdreamdream

_ Make it stop, just make it stop- _

dreamdreamdreamdreamdreamdreamdreamdreamdreamdreamdreamdream

William wakes up to the sound of screaming. It takes him a moment to realize he's the source. 

He tries to stop panting, hyperventilating, phantom hands still touching his skin. He tries to compose himself but the memories are still stark in his mind.

A hand grips the front of his shirt and William flinches, clawing at the hand, flickering sparks of static, yelling, “Don’t touch me! No, no, no-“

“Will!” Dorrek roars, “Calm yourself!”  

William whips his head up, taking in Dorrek, his face inches from his own. William stares into his eyes, taking control of his breathing. William takes in his surroundings, a large bed in what must be Dorrek’s chambers, a lamp and other clutter thrown around the room in William’s haze. William breathes out harshly, but pushes Dorrek’s hand away.

“I don’t need you to hold me.” William snaps.

Dorrek raises a brow but makes no move to get closer. “Oh yeah, you seem very stable now.”

“Fuck off.” William says. “Where are our alters?” 

“Resting in a separate room, figured you wouldn’t want them to see you wake up.”

“Ah.” William says instead of verbal gratitude. He sighs, running his hands through his hair and grimacing at its length. Dorrek gives him a slight smile, taking a strand of his hair in hand.

“You’ve never let it grow this long before.” He muses, and William slaps his hand away.

“What did you tell them?” William demands. 

Dorrek sighs, “The truth.” And dodges out of the way of William’s punch. “Come on, now, having unaware soldiers on the battlefield only leads to chaos.”

“They aren’t soldiers.” William argues. “They’re children.”

“I’m aware.” Dorrek says with a smirk. “I never thought I would see a version of you act so young. Did you know you’re face could make that many expressions before? It almost makes me believe you have emotions.”

“Like that version of you is any better.” William scoffs. “So-”

“Morally stable?”

“Naive.” William stresses. “They’re both so naive.”

“Which is exactly why you choose them.” Dorrek’s face hardens. “Perfect subjects for manipulation.”

William clenches his jaw and looks away. “It had to be done.”   
  
“But it didn’t.” Dorrek hisses out. “You don’t need them-”

“But I need my powers if I’m ever going to stand against Celestro.” William interrupts.

“God, when will my words ever pierce that stupidly thick skull of yours? He’s already beaten you, Will, even at your full power you lost.” Dorrek says harshly.

William balls his hands into fists but refuses to look at Dorrek. “I have to kill him.”

“I know what he did to you-”

“Don’t!” William shouts. “Just don’t.”

Dorrek let’s out a sound of frustration but lets it go. Silence takes over the space between them. William grabs at Dorrek’s hand and Dorrek holds it in his own, rubbing his fingers over William’s knuckles.

“How are you, Will?” Dorrek says softly. “Really. Without the bullshit.”

William trembles before slumping, letting go of his false bravado, if only for a moment. “I’m tired.” William says honestly. “I wish only for rest, one I will not get while Celestro continues to rule.”

“I have a plan,” Dorrek says, “One that won’t get us all killed, so you know, better than what yours was.”

William hits him in the solar plexus and Dorrek lets out a pained sound. “Asshole.” He wheezes. 

“Like you’re any better.” William snipes back, but there’s an edge of a smile on his face before disappearing. “I need him dead, Dorrek, I will not stop until I have his blood on my hands.”

Dorrek takes William’s face in his hands, brushing back loose strands of hair. “You do not know me, William Maximoff of Genosha, if you think I will not slaughter that monster for what he’s done to you.” Dorrek growls out. “The only question of his death is how painful I make it.”

William places his hands over Dorrek’s, leaning his forehead onto the others and sighing. “What is your plan then?”

\----

“-I can’t believe we fell for this!” Billy rants, pacing their room in fits. “We should of never come, should have known the moment he fought us, should have-”   


“Billy, slow down!” Teddy says, stopping his boyfriend by grabbing his arms. “We thought we were doing the right thing, that not on us.”

Billy sighs and lets his anger go. “I feel so used.”

“Can’t say your alone in that.” Teddy clenches his jaw. “But we can’t change what’s been done. At least his plan never finished.”

Billy opens his mouth to respond just as the door to their room sweeps open, William and Dorrek VIII in it’s frame.

“You!” Billy seethes, pointing his finger at William, “You lying asshole!”

William sighs, “Now before you start-”

“Last time you controlled the conversation you manipulated us into another dimension.” teddy crosses his arms. “I think it’s time that we left.”

Dorrek VIII holds an arm out in front of William, “That’s understandable.”   
  
“Dorrek-” William grits out. 

“Will.” Dorrek VIII says back with force.”Take some of your own advice and shut up won’t you?” William's glare could kill a man, but he surprisingly says nothing.

“I do request something of you two before you leave.” Dorrek says.

“And what is that?” Teddy asks cautiously. 

“I have developed a plan, different from Will’s. I’ve managed to drill some sense into him-”

“You’ve drilled nothing.” William says, “We came to a compromise.”

“-One I believe all parties can agree on.” Dorrek finishes. “One involving you two, if you agree to listen.”

“Why should we?” Billy asks. 

Dorrek smiles. “Because you’re selfless people. And if this universe is to ever have another chance, it can’t be done with Celestro in charge of it.”

“We’re not helping you kill him.” Teddy says. “That’s not how we do things.”

“I’m not asking that of you.” Dorrek says. “I’m asking you to help me destroy his power, so we can finally take him down.” He looks pointedly at William. “ _ Without  _ anymore bloodshed.”

Billy narrows his eyes, “How can we trust you?” 

“You can’t.” Dorrek says honestly. “All I can ask is that you listen and come to your own conclusions on what is right for you.”

Billy and Teddy share a look, before nodding. “Alright, we’re listening.”

**_\----_ **

“I can’t believe we’re doing this.” Billy complains after hearing Dorrek’s plan. “It could be another lie.”

“It could be.” Teddy says reasonably, “But if it’s not we could be saving an entire universe.”   


Billy snorts. “You say that like it’s a new thing.” And looks down at the book in his lap. “William said to learn this spell in case my way doesn’t work, but I’m wondering if I should even bother.”

“Well, Dorrek didn’t seem to object, and he seems pretty good at keeping William in check.”

“William also said he was a genocidal dictator.” Billy says.

“He also said his mother was alive, I think we can take everything he says with a grain of salt. At least Dorrek’s been honest with us.”

Billy frowns, “Unless he hasn’t.”

“Unless he hasn’t.” Teddy agrees.

“Just,” Billy sighs, grabbing Teddy’s hand and squeezing tight. “Stay close okay?”

Teddy kisses his cheek, “You too.” 

\----

“Where’s William?” Billy asks, sitting in the office like room they’re using to finalize their plan. Teddy fidgets next to him as Dorrek pulls up a schematic of Celestro’s ship.

“He left to meditate.” Dorrek supplies, “Hopefully it will help him get through the fight.”

“So,” Teddy starts awkwardly, “Are you two, um.”

Dorrek smirks, “Dating?”

“That, yep.” Teddy says, blushing before he can shift it off.

“Not in the way you two are, I assume,” Pointing between Teddy and Billy, “Our relationship is difficult to explain in such terms. I care for him, and I know he cares for me in the only way he knows how, and that is enough for us.”

“But,” Billy makes a confused sound, “How did it even happen? William said you tried to kill him."

“I did,” Dorrek says with a laugh. “But only because he tried to kill me first.”

“What?” Billy says.

“It’s a long story,” Dorrek says with a smile. “The short of it being; Will was hired to assassinate me, failed, I tried to have him killed, failed, and somewhere between trying to kill each other he saved my life by killing another assassin that was sent after me.” Dorrek shrugged, a fond look on his face, “Then he told me he never met someone with more of a death wish and kissed me.”

“Uh.” Teddy says, feeling lost. 

“What of you two? How did you meet in your universe?”

“Um.” Billy says. “In a comic book store.”

“A what?”

“Oh my god.” Teddy whispers.

\----

_ He can’t feel his powers.  _

_ It’s like being submerged under water, suffocating, disorienting, faint and pulsing. His powers are faint and far away, blocked by Celestro’s spell, walled off just out of his reach. William desperately claws for it, knowing he can’t reach it but trying anyway. Celestro’s footsteps echo in the hallway, coming closer, and if only William could- _

William gasps, breaking the flashback and grabbing at the ground as though to stabilize himself. He’s still sitting cross legged in Dorrek’s room, and must have dozed off during his meditation, and kicks himself for the moment of weakness.

“Will?” Dorrek says as he opens the door, and William is silently grateful as Dorrek ignores his obviously distressed state. “The other versions of us are ready to go.”

William composes himself and nods, standing up and making way to follow Dorrek out. Dorrek catches his arm on the way out, “Hey,” He says lowly, “If you need a moment we can wait.”   


William retches his arm away from Dorrek and scowls. “I’ve been ready since I got here. Let’s go.”

“If you’re sure.” Dorrek says, frowning, but following him out.

\----

“Alright,” Dorrek says as they all gather around, “Let’s go over the plan once more. Billy will teleport us down to planet 316 where some of Celestro’s men are located. We take them down, and steal their ship. Me and Teddy will shape shift into them, while Billy will make himself invisible. We will board Celestro’s ship under the pretense of having a prisoner, William.”

“They’ll take us all directly to Celestro.” William interjects. “Once there Billy will wish away Celestro’s magic while I distract him. Without his power Dorrek can take him down and imprison him.”

“Then the universe will be save and you two can go home.” Dorrek finishes.

“Unless we fuck up.” Billy says.

“Then let’s do this right the first time.” Dorrek says grimly. “Otherwise we might not be alive to try again.”


End file.
